Weaving loom with stationary weft supply



Oct. 6, 1953 G. HAZELTON 4,3

WEAVING LOOM WITH STATIONARY WEFT SUPPLY Filed Nov. 15, 1950 8 Sheets-Sheet l I nvenlor Oct. 6, 1953 ca. HAZELTON WEAVING LOOM WITH STATIONARY WEFT SUPPLY 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 15, 1950 Oct. 6, 1953 G. HAZELTON WEAVING LOOM WITH STATIONARY WEFT SUPPLY 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed NOV. 15 1950 mm m m km W MW Moi Q Q w v w Inventor @eor e rb e/faw y Oct. 6, 1953 G. HAZELTON 7 2,554,398

WEAVING LOOM WITH STATIONARY WEFT SUPPLY Filed Nov. 15, 1950 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor @eprye #ye/ #910 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Oct. 6, 1953 G. HAZELTON WEAVING LOOM WITH STATIONARY WEFT SUPPLY Filed Nov. 15 1950 lay-l 45 40a 30 I F/G 7 W r 0 A Q a m o a 64 r 4 W a E 6 5 3 22 -\O m/ y 9 3 gm B m 5 w mi! nu w 9 WW w 3 w n MIQMSFJFW HHH Q JW w a 4 b 3 6 4 m F 2 I1 I! x 4 Oct. 6, 1953 G. HAZELTON WEAVING LOOM WITH STATIONARY WEFT SUPPLY Filed Nov. 15 1950 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 I nvenior edly 5938/7 02!) y Oct. 6, 1953 G. HAZELTON 2,654,393

WEAVING LOOM WITH STATIONARY WEF'T SUPPLY Filed Nov. 15, 1950 8 Sheets-Sheet a I nventor gymy 71%]2/76/6 Patented Oct. 6, 1953 UNITED STATS TENT OFFICE WEAVING LOOM WITH STATIONARY WEFT SUPPLY a British company Application November 15, 1950, Serial No. 195,736 In Great Britain November 16, 1949 16 Claims. (Cl. 139-124) This invention relates to weaving looms with stationary weft supplies, and has for its object to provide, in or for such a loom, an improved weaving mechanism adapted for weaving woven fabric of a previously proposed form comprising a set of warps interwoven with two weft threads and wherein picks of the respective weft threads extend across the warps in alternating relation, and, at each edge of the fabric, loops of the said two threads are linked together in the nature of a chain constituting a selvedge.

The weaving mechanism constitutin this invention is of the kind including two weft laying members for carrying respective weft threads through sheds of warps alternately from opposite sides of the path of the latter, and is characterised by the feature that each weft laying member is so constructed and arranged as to be adapted to be advanced longitudinally alongside the path of the warps for the purpose of penetrating a loop of the weft thread previously formed and laid at the adjacent edge of the fabric by actuation of the weft laying member at the opposite side thereof, and then diverted into a shed of the warps for the purpose of inserting therein a pick of the other weft thread.

The term pick used herein means a complete loop of weft thread inserted as the result of a forward and a reverse stroke of a weft laying member.

In a convenient embodiment of the invention, the said weft laying members are adapted each in turn to be first partially advanced longitudinally alongside the path of the warps to enter a loop of one weft thread previously laid by the other weft laying member, then arrested during withdrawal of the last mentioned member, next caused to turn within the said loop about an axis coincident, or substantially both with the adjacent edge of the fabric and the inner side of the member and then fully advanced by movem nt transversely through a shed of the warps suchwise as to insert therein a pick of the other weft thread.

The two weft laying members may advantageously of, and will convenience be hereinafter described as, twin needles.

To make certain that each needle, during its advance, turns within a penetrated loop without stretching the same, it is, of course, important that the needle shall swing about an axis which, as hereinbefore mentioned, is coincident both with the adjacent edge of the fabric and the inner side the said needle. But, as will be readily appreciated, it is quite impracticable for the needle itself to be engaged in a fulcrum pin turnable about this axis. In the first place, such a fulcrum pin would foul the reed or sley employed in the loom for beating up the inserted picks of weft to the fell of the fabric. And in the second place the presence of a fulcrum pin would pre vent the needle, during the initial stage of its advancing movement, from being maintained, as it must, strictly in line with the edge of the fabric. To obviate these difficulties the invention includes, a feature, the provision of a guiding member (hereinafter for convenience referred to as a pilot) which is located in a plane spaced from that in which the needle operates so as to avoid collision with the sley, and is mounted to swing about the desired axis aforesaid, the needle carrier being coupled with the pilot by connections,

suitably movable relatively thereto.

The pilot and the connections between the same and the needle carrier are preferably located entirely beneath the needle, i. e. beneath the plane in which the fabric is woven, thereby leaving the needle free for threading up and exposing the fabric for attention if necessary. The invention is not, however, necessarily limited in this respect, since the pilot and the connections may, where exigencies of design so dictate, be mounted about the needle.

A specific constructional example of the improved weaving mechanism and fabric produced thereon will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Figure l is a general perspective view of the complete mechanism shown in position in a loom,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the mechanism,

Figure 3 is a side view of the same as seen in the direction of the arrow A in Figure 2,

Figure 4 is an elevational view of the mechanism as seen in the direction of the arrow B in Figure 2, that is to say from the front of the loom,

Figure 5 is a general perspective view of the two units of the mechanism per so as seen in the direction of the arrow C in Figure 1,

Figure 6 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of one only of the two units of the mechanism,

Figure 7 is a detail side view of a slotted guide such as is employed in association with each of the twin needles to guide the latter during its operation,

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line VIII-VIII of Figure '7,

Fig. 9 is a side view of the two needle cams provided on the cam shaft of the loom for adcams, in developed form, andrillustrating alsothe sequence of the needle movements effected and controlled thereby, and

Figure is a diagrammatic representationf" a ortion of fabric capable of being produced by" the improved weaving mechanism, this portion being drawn to a greatly magnified scale;

Like parts are designated by similarreference characters through the drawings.

Referring to Figures 1-6 of the drawings, each unit of the weaving mechanism includes a flat rectangular base plate i adapted to be bolted in position, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3', upon an appropriate longitudinal frame member such as 2v at the front of a loom. I The base plate I, which is considerably longer than it is wide, is provided at its leading end with a vertical pillar 3 upon which and. also a vertical bracket or support 4 located near the rear end of the base plate is secured a horizontally disposed guide bar .5. This bar is longitudinally grooved at 6" at the sides to provide lateral flanges 1 (shown more clearly in Figure 4) serving as guides for complementary recessed and shouldered portions of a slide 8 mounted for reciprocation beneath the said bar. At its outer side, that is to say the side thereof remote from the path of the woven fabric F, the reciprocatory slide- 8' is furnishedwith a laterally extending pin 9 by means. of which the slide is adapted to be connected, through the medium of a. two-part longitudinally adjustable link I0, [0 with a fulcrumedlever II controlledby a spring or equivalent element. HA having anrarm I2 fitted with a roller I3. for contact with the periphery of .a rotary cam- .I i secured. upon the cam shaft it of the loom. Secured to the upper surface of the base plate 1 near to the front of the latter is a vertical post I6 having'flatsides. This post isv adjustable laterally within limits. As depicted most clearly inFigure 6, the upper edge of the vertical post It slopes downwards in a rearward direction. Attached to the-upper end of that flat side of the said vertical post farthest away from the path of the fabric Fis a fiat metal guide plate I? the purposes of which will be'hereina-fter explained. The upper edge-of. the guide plate I? in each unit is shaped to correspond with and projects a little above, the upper rearwardly sloping edge of the corresponding vertical post. 66. The front edge Il'aJQ igure 6). of'the plate H, which is straight and vertical, projects to a slight extent in front of the post It Secured upon the base plate I, adjacent. to the path of the fabric F and near to the bracket or support 4., is a further bracket is in. which is fitted-a laterally extending trunnion 39'. Now, as already explained, a complete weaving mechanism comprises two of the units-one left hand and the other right hand-spaced apart to an extent depending on the width of the fabric F to be woven. The spacing is determined by two distance pieces, one of which consists of a sloping-plate 20 of; appropriate section adapted. to extend across and fit upon the upper edges. of the vertical posts It of the two units, between; the upper projecting edges of the corresponding guide plates I'l, whilst the other consists of a tubular roller 2I adapted to fit upon the laterally extending trunnions I9 of the two units. As will be appreciated the length of the plate 28 and of the tubular roller 2| corresponds substantially to the width of the fabric to be woven. The downwardly sloped plate 20 constitutes a support and guide for the fabric F the region of the fell, whilst the vertically disposed'flat guide plates I? at the ends of the plate 2h function to constrain the edges of the fabric. Fabric, as woven, passes over the plate 26, downwards at an angldand then over the tubular roller 2i whichmay, if desired, be free to rotate about the trunnions I9 supporting it.

Fixed-on the baseplate I near to the bottom of the "vertical pillar 3 of each unit is a small bracket ZZhaving an upwardly directed portion 23 located in front of the corresponding vertical post I6. In the upper end of the portion 23 is mounted a rotatable fulcrum pin 24 the vertical axis of which is in alignment with the vertical front edge of the guide plate I! arranged alongsidethe corresponding edge of the fabric F; The head ofthe fulcrum pin 24- is enlarged and drilled diametrically to receive a rod 25 constituting a pilot. For convenience in assembly the fulcrum pins 25 are loosely mounted in the bracket 22, and to maintain the said pins in position and prevent them from coming adrift, there are provided retaining elements 26 which are attached to the upwardly directed bracket portions 23 and bent over at their upper ends for engagement with the heads of the pins. Slidably mounted upon each pilot 25 is a crank arm 21 which is rigidly secured to the lower end of a vertical spindle 28. The upper end of this spindle extends a little above the guide bar 5 and has rigidly secured thereto a further crank arm 29 constituting a carrier for a needle 36. In each unit, the two crank arms 21 and 29 extend parallel to each other and the lower one, 2?, is furnished with a tubular bearing 31 which is slidably engaged with the pilot 25. The verticalspindle 23 is enclosed by and turns within a tubular bearing 32 which is fitted in the outer end of a lever 33 of flat crossseetion. At its inner end the lever 33 is fulcrumed at 3% within a laterally recessed portion of the reciprocatory slide 8. Moreover, the lever 33, the forward portion of which is laterally offset as illustrated in Figure 2, is furished on its upper side'with a roller 35 (see Figure 6) which latter is engaged in, and adapted to runalong, a parallel-sided cam groove 36 cut in the underside of the guide bar 5. The rear portion of the cam groove 36 is straight and extends parallel with the sides of the guide bar 55, whilst the leading portion of the said groove is outwardly curved, all as depicted in. Figure 2, the curve being carefully designed, by plotting, to impart the required movements to the needle 30. The needle 38 is straight, being pointed at its leading end and having formed therein an eye for the passage of weft thread. The rear end portion of the needle is of larger diameter than the needle shank and is fitted within a hole in the needle-carrying crank arm 29 wherein it may be secured by a grub screw. The needle is longitudinally grooved throughout its length, and a guide 31 for the weft thread is formed or provided on the crank arm 29-immediately above the rear extremity of the needle.

The construction and arrangement of each unit is therefore such that with the reciprocatory slide 8 fully withdrawn to its rearmost position, and

hence with the cam roller 35 located'within the straight portion ofthe 'camgrooVe'SB' (seethe left-hand slide in Figure'z) the corresponding needle 3 lies alongside the inner face of the vertical guide plate H with the point of the needle level or practically so with the front edge ofthe said plate. The side of the needle'3ll adjacent to the guide plate- I! is coincident with. the vertical axis of the fulcrum pin 24, of the pilot 25, and the needle extends parallel to and above the said pilot in substantially the same vertical plane. The guide plate I! accordingly functions not only to guide the adjacent edge of the fabric F, as woven, but also to keepthe needle'w clear of the shed and from fouling the fabric, The guide plate Il may advantageously be adjustable later-s ally by appropriate adjustment of the corre= spending vertical post It. When the-reciprocatory slide 8 moves forwardstheneedle 3d first advances alongside the guideplate ll, being ,controlled by the cam roller 35'travelling along the straight portion oi. the cam groove, but immediately this roller enters the outwardly curved leading portion of the said groove, the lever 33 on which the roller 35 is provided is turned to'the corresponding side about its fulcrum. as as a consequenceof which the pilot 25, and hence also the needle 38 connected therewith through the crank arms 2'! and 2 9 and. the intermediate vertical spindle 28, are swung round. By the time the slide 8 has been pushed fully forwards the pilot 25 and the needle 36 will have been turned through nearly a right angle, the needle swinging about an axis substantially coincident both with the front edge of the guide plate IT and thevertical axis of the fulcrum pin 24 of the pilot.

roughout the advancing movement of the needle, the lower crank arm'2l slides along. the pilot 25. The appropriate .fiat side of eachvertical post It isrecessed. somewhat at Ilia to avoid the corresponding pilot. To permit of the required. curvilinear movement of thevertical spindle 28 and its tubular bearing 32, the inner side of the guide bar is'correspondingly inwardly shapedas depicted at 5st in Figures 1, 2 and 5.

Each. vertical. pillar 3 may, if necessary, also be recessed to prevent it fouling theleading end of the fulcrumed needle-actuating lever 33-. The

cam groove 36 in each unit is so shaped that during diversion of the needle 30 into a shed of the warps, the needle point and eye trace curvilinear paths which are first outwardly curved, fairly sharply, then; inwardly curved and finally outwardly curved. again more gradually.

To facilitate stripping of each unit. as occasion demands, the guide bar 5 isformed with a hole 38 into register with. which the fulcrum pin 34 of the needle-actuating lever 33 can be moved by suitable movement of the .reciprocatory slide 8: this enables the fulcrum pin to be: removed, so releasing the lever.

In. order to prevent the twin. needles 3% of-the complete mechanism from fouling, one another, each needle must, when; diverted into a shed of warps, be located above the companion needle. To ensure that this shall be so there is provided, in association with each needle 39', a small slotted guide plate 39 through which the needle passes whenever it is swung round within a. loop previously laid at the appropriate edge of the fabric by the other needle and thus-diverted into a shed S (Figure 3) of the warps. As will'be seen more clearly in Figures '7 and 8, the plate 39' is disposed in .a vertical plane and has formed therein a slot 40 the leading end of which is flared to provideta relatively wide openingyllla. The upper-and lower oppositely sloping sides of the opening aretconvergent in a rearward direction. The-remaining portion 40b of the slotis narrow and just wide enough to receive the shank of'the' relevant needle 3fl-without any tendency to stick. Thus, as the needle. is diverted into, and caused to complete its advance through, a shedof warps, the point of the needle enters through the flared portion 40a of the slotwhereupon the needle. shank engages in the narrow portion 49b of the slot and is thereby definitely located in the correct plane immediately above the companion needle (see Figure 8'). If, upon diversion, the needle is too high then naturally it will move into contact with the upper downwardly sloping side of the flared opening 40a and be cammed down into the" correct plane; conversely, if the needle is too low it will be raised to the appropriate height by the lower upwardly sloping side of the said opening. Each guide plate as is preferably made universally adjustable, or substantially so. In the specific example illustrated, each such plate is attached by screws to a small block 4| which is mounted to swivel (for adjustment purposes) upon an upwardly extending portion of a length of bent rod 42, the remaining horizontally extending" portion of which is in turn mounted to swivel (again for adjustment purposes) in a bracket 4-3. This bracket is secured by a single screw 44 upon the leading end of the guide bar 5 of the relevant unit, and is thereby itself also adapted for adjustment angularly; As depicted in Figures 7 and 8, the inner side of each slotted guide plate 39 has provided thereon above the slot 49, an inwardly directed projection or lug 45 the lower face of which is so shaped as to register with the upper edge of the said slot. The purpose of this projection or lug is to hold down the loo-p such as L (Figure 8) of weft thread laid at the relevant edge of the fabric by a diverted needle and thereby make certain the penetration of this loop by the other needle. The projection or lug 45 may be either formed integrally with or attached or clipped to the slotted guide plate 39. For simplicitys sake the lugs or projections 45 have not been shown in" all of the figuresillustrating the weaving mechanism.

With the weaving mechanism in operation, each of the twin needles 3!] is in turn first partially advanced longitudinally alongside the path of the warps to enter a loop previously laid at the appropriate edge of the fabric by the other needle, then arrested during withdrawal of the last mentioned needle and subsequent shed and beat-up, next caused. to. swing round within the said loop and complete its advance through a shed of the warps so that it ultimately extends in a line slightly oblique with respect to the fell of the fabric, next withdrawn to a slight extent to form a loop for penetration by the other needle, then after such penetration fully withdrawn from the fabric and finally swung back to its original position. By reason. of these movements each needle swings nicely within the loop penetrated thereby so that no enlargement of this comparatively sinall loop takes place. This will be made clearer from a consideration. of Figures 10 to 12. In'Figure 10, the right-hand needle is about to commence its advance movement to enter the loop 46 of the weft'thread 4'! previously laid and formed at the edge or the fabric 'F'by thelefthand needle. At the stage illustrated in Figure 11, the right-hand needle after being partially advanced longitudinally alongside the path of the warps W to penetrate the loop 36 is temporarily arrested to permit of withdrawal of the left-hand needle. During such partial advance, the righthand needle, is maintained in a straight path by reason of engagement of the appropriate roller with the straight portion of the revelant cam groove 35. After withdrawal of the left-hand needle, the right-hand needle, is caused, by reason of the roller 35 travelling in the curved portion of the groove 35, to swing round within the loop t5 and complete its advance through the shed of the warps W as shown in Figure 12. In this way a pick 43' is inserted in the shed and a loop 5% is laid at the left-hand edge of the fabric. After subsequent slight withdrawal of the righthand needle to complete the formation of the loop 53 the left-hand needle is partially advanced longitudinally to penetrate the said loop, and the right-hand needle is finally withdrawn and r..- turned to its ori inal position. The sequence just described is repeated for each needle alternately.

In Figure 13, the axis about which the righthand needle swings is indicated (by way of example) at a. As will be seen, this axis is coincident not only with the right-hand edge of the fabric but also with the inner side of the needle 35.

The appropriately profiled cams l4 necessary to eii'ect the hereinbefore described movements of the twin needles alternately are both identical in form but one of the said cams is secured on the cam shaft I5 180 in advance of the other cam. This will be clear from Figure 9.

In each of Figures 1-4 is shown a batten 58 which carries the spaced dents El of a beating up reed and is mounted upon a shaft 52 for oscillatory movement, so that the said reed moves back. and forth in the usual manner to beat up successively inserted picks of weft thread to the fell of the fabric.

Developments of the profiles of the right-hand and left-hand cams are indicated by the lines 53 and 55 respectively in Figure 14. As previously stated both cams, although identical in form, are offset relatively to the extent of 189. The distance between any two of the equally spaced parallel line in Figure it represents that is to say a thirty-sixth of a complete revolution of a cam Hi. At G, H, I, J, K, L, M and N successive stages in the movements of the two weft-laying needles 3d are shown in correct relation to the cams. Thus at G the right-hand needle is partially advanced longitudinally alongside the warps W and the left-hand needle is fully withdrawn. At H the right-hand needle has been diverted into and advanced through a shed of the warps W and also withdrawn slightly to form a loop as previously described herein. At I the left hand needle has been advanced to penetrate the said loop. The right-hand needle is thereupon swung back out of the shed to a position alongside the warps, as shown at J, and is then withdrawn to its original inoperative position (see K) At L, the left-hand needle has been diverted into and advanced through the next shed of warps and also withdrawn slightly to form a loop. At M the right-hand needle has been advanced to penetrate the last mentioned loop and at N the left-hand needle has been swung back alongside the warps W preparatory to being fully withdrawn to its original inoperative position as at G-this completing the cycle which is continudi ously repeated a weaving proceeds. The positions marked 0 and P on Figure M are those at which the shed is changed and the reed is moved forward to beat up the inserted weft.

The improved weaving mechanism can be constructed entirely of light moving parts thereby enabling fast working speeds to be obtained. Moreover, the constructions are such as to require only minimum shed space and also minimum'to and fro movement of the beating-up reed.

A typical fabric capable of being produced on a loom fitted with the weaving mechanism specifically described herein, will now be described With reference to Figure 15. This fabric comprises a single set of warps W interwoven with two weft thread 55 and 55 which, for convenience in illustration, are shown shaded and unshaded respectively. To facilitate the description it will be assumed that the shaded thread 55 is red and the unshaded thread 55 is blue, although, naturally, these colours may be varied, or both threads may be of the same colour, according to requirements.

In this fabric, then, there are spaced blue picks 57 and intervening red picks 58. At the righthand edge of the fabric the closed ends 59 of the blue picks 57 form loops each of which is interlooped with a red pick 56A formed by drawing through the blue loop 59 a bight of red weft thread 55 adjoining the open end of the adjacent pick 58. Similarly, at the left-hand edge of the fabric the closed ends of the red picks 58 constitute red loops 5| each of which is interlooped with a blue loop 62 formed by drawing through the said red loop 5! a bight of blue weft thread 55 adjoining the open end of the adjacent blue picks 5?. Incidentally, each bight of red weft thread 55 at the right-hand edge of the abric, in addition to being interlooped with the adjacent blue loop 59, also passes through the next formed blue loop where it continues as a portion of the next succeeding red pick 58. Similarly, each bight of blue weft thread 55 at the left-hand edge of the fabric, passes through the red loop immediately succeeding that with which it is interlooped and continues as a portion of the next blue pick 5?. This construction produces strong, neat s-elvedges in the form of chains of loops of the two weft threads which extend alongside the outermost warps W without engaging in the sense of embracing, the same.

Referring again to the improved weaving mechanism, this is more particularly suitable for use in the production of narrow fabrics such as ribbons, braids, and elastic webs. The reference numeral 59 indicates thread guides.

What I claim is:

1. In a weaving loom with stationary weft supplies, weaving mechanism including, in combination, two weft laying members for carrying respective weft threads through sheds of warps alternately from opposite sides of the path of the latter, means for advancing each weft laying member in turn longitudinally alongside the path of the warps for the purpose of penetrating a loop of weft thread previously formed and laid at the adjacent edge of the fabric by actuation of the weft laying member at the opposite side thereof, and means for thereupon effecting diversion of the advanced member into a shed of the warps for the purpose of inserting therein a pick of the other Weft thread.

2. In a weaving loom with stationary weft supplies, weaving mechanism including, in combination, two weft laying members for carrying respective weft threads through sheds of warps alternately from opposite sides of the path of the latter, means for first partially advancing each weft laying member in turn longitudinally alongside the path of the warps to enter a loop of one weft thread previously formed and laid at the adjacent edge of the fabric by the other weft laying member, and then arresting the partially advanced member during withdrawal of the said plies, weaving mechanism including, in combination, two weft laying needles each with an eye in its leading end for passage therethrough of a weft thread from a stationary supply, the said needles serving to carry respective weft threads through sheds of warps alternately from opposite sides of the path of the latter, movable carriers in which the said weft laying needlesare mounted, cam means for moving and guiding the said carriers and intermediate connections between the cam means and the carriers whereby each needle in turn is first partially advanced longitudinally alongside the path of the warps to enter a loop of one weft thread previously formed and laid at the adjacent edge of the fabric by the other weft laying needle, next turned within the loop about an axis coincident both with the adjacent edge of the fabric and the inner side of the partially advanced needle and then diverted and fully advanced transversely through a shed of the warps suchwise as to insert therein a pick of the other weft thread.

a. Weaving mechanism according to claim 3, wherein each needle carrier and the associated connections for moving and guiding the same are incorporated in a self-contained unit including a base adapted to be secured upon the frame of a loom, the complete mechanism thus comprising two such units, one right 'hand and the other left hand.

5. In a weaving loom with stationary weft supplies, in combination, a frame, two weft laying needles each with an eye in its leading end for passage therethrough of a weft thread from a stationary supply, the said needles serving to carry respective weft threads through sheds of warps alternately from opposite sides of the path of the latter, turnable carriers in which the said weft laying needles are mounted, reciprocatory slides serving to support the needle carriers, fixed guide bars for the slides, bases which are secured upon the aforesaid frame and serve to support the said guide bars, separate cams for moving the slides back and forth along the guides alternately, a common rotary cam shaft to which the said cam are secured, operative connections between the cams and the slides, and, associated with the guide bars, stationary cam means'a'nd operative connections between the latter and the needle carriers for turning each of said carriers and diverting its needle transversely into a shed.

of warps during an advancing movement of the corresponding reciprocatory slide, whereby each needle in turn is first advanced longitudinally alongside the path of the warps for the purpose of penetrating a loop of the weft thread previously formed and laid at the adjacent edge of the fabric by actuation of the weft laying needle at the opposite side thereof,.and then diverted into a shed of the warps to insert therein a pick of the other weft thread.

6. A combination according to claim 5, wherein each needle carrier, and the corresponding reciprocatory slide, fixed guide and base together constitute a self-contained unit, complete weaving mechanism thus comprising two such units, one right hand and the other left hand, and the said units being spaced apart by distance pieces providing supports for the fabric as woven.

'7. A combination according to claim 5, wherein a link is connected to each reciprocatory slide, and a spring-controlled fulcrumed lever adapted to be actuated by the relevant cam on the rotary cam shaft is connected to said link.

8. In a weaving loom with stationary weft supplies, in. combination, frame, two weft laying needles each with an eye in its leading end for passage therethrough of a weft thread from a stationary supply, the said needles serving to carry respective weft threads through sheds of warps alternately from opposite sides of the path of the latter, turnable carriers in which the said weft laying needles are mounted, reciprocatory slides serving to support th'eneedle carriers, fixed guide bars for the slides, bases which are secured upon the'aforesaid frame and serve to support the saidguide bars, separate cams for moving the slides back and forth along the guides al- -'ternately, a common rotary cam shaft to which the said cams are secured, operative connec" tions between the cams and the slides, a pilot in association with 'each'needle for guiding the same,

"the said pilot being located-in a plane spaced from that in which the needle operates and mounted to swing about an axis coincident both with the appropriate edge of the fabric and the inner side of the said needle, connections movable relatively to each pilot for coupling the latter with the corresponding needle carrier, and, associated with each guide banstationary cam means for turning the relevant pilot so that the needle guided thereby is diverted transversely into a shed of warps during an advancing movement of the corresponding reciprocatory slide, whereby each needle in turn is first advanced longitudinally alongside the path of the warps for the purpose of penetrating a loop of the weft thread previously formed and laid at'the-adjacent edge of the fabric by actuation of the weft laying needle at the opposite side thereof, and then diverted into a shed of the warps to insert therein a pick of the other weft thread,

9. A combinationaccording .to claim '8, wherein each pilot and the connections between the same and the corresponding needle carrier are located beneath the needle, and hence also the plane in which the fabric is woven. I

10. In :a weaving loom with stationary weft supplies, in combination, :aframe, two weft laying needles each with an eye in its leading end for passage therethrough of a weft thread from a stationary supply, the said needles serving to carry respective weft threads through sheds of warps alternately from opposite sides of the path of the latter, turnable carriers in which the said weft laying needles are mounted, reciprocatory slides serving to support the needle carriers, fixed guide" bars for the slides, bases which are secured upon the aforesaid frame and serve to support the said guide bars, separate cams for moving the slides back and forth along the guides alternately, a common rotary cam shaft to which the said cams are secured, operative connections between the cams and the slides, a pilot in association with each needle for guiding the same, the said pilot being located in a plane spaced from that in which the needle operates and mounted to swing about an axis coincident both with the appropriate edge of the fabric and the inner side of the said needle, connections movable relatively to each pilot for coupling the latter with the corresponding needle carrier, a lever which is coupled to the last mentioned connections and pivotally mounted in the relevant reciprocatory slide, and, associated with each guide bar, stationary cam means for actuating the said lever and turning the relevant pilot whereby the needle guided thereby is diverted transversely into a shed of warps during a forward movement of the said reciprocatory slide to advance the associated needle longitudinally alongside the path of the warps.

11. In a weaving loom with stationary weft supplies, in combination, a frame, two weft laying needles each with an eye in its leading end for passage therethrough of a weft thread from a stationary supply, the said needles serving to carry respective weft threads through sheds of warps alternately from opposite sides of the path of the latter, turnable carriers in which the said weft laying needles are mounted, reciprocatory slides serving to support the needle carriers, fixed guide bars for the slides, each of said bars having formed therein a cam groove, bases which are secured upon the aforesaid frame and serve to support the said guide bars, separate cams for moving the slides back and forth along the guides alternately, a common rotary cam shaft to which the said cams are secured, operative connections between the cams and the slides, a pilot in association with each needle for guiding the same, the said pilot being located in a plane spaced from that in which the needle operates and mounted to swing about an axis coincident both with the appropriate edge of the fabric and the inner side of the said needle, connections movable relatively to each pilot for coupling the latter with the corresponding needle carrier, a lever which is coupled to the last mentioned connections and is pivotally mounted in the relevant reciprocatory slide, and, on each such lever, a roller which is engaged in the cam groove in the corresponding guide bar whereby during a forward movement of the said reciprocatory slide to advance the associated needle longitudinally alongside the path of the warps, the pilot whereby the said needle is guided is turned suchwise as to divert the needle transversely into a shed of the warps, for the purpose herein specified.

12. In a weaving loom with stationary weft supplies, weaving mechanism including, in combination, two weft laying needles each with an eye in its leading end for the passage therethrough of a weft thread from a stationary supply, the said needles serving to carry respective weft threads through sheds of warps alternately from opposite sides of the path of the latter, movable carriers in which the said weft laying needles are mounted, cam means for moving and guiding the said carriers and intermediate connections between the cam means and the carriers whereby each needle in turn is first partially advanced longitudinally alongside the path of the warps to enter a loop of one weft thread previously formed and laid at the adjacent edge of the fabric by the other weft laying needle,

next turned within the loop about an axis coincident both with the adjacent edge of the fabric and the inner side of the partially advanced needle and then diverted and fully advanced transversely through a shed of the warps suchwise as to insert therein a pick of the other weft thread, and, in association with each needle, a guide plate alongside which the needle moves during the first stage of each advancing movement thereof, the said plate functioning not only to guide the adjacent edge of the fabric, as woven, but also to keep the needle clear of the shed and from fouling the fabric during such partial advance.

13. Weaving mechanism according to claim 12, wherein posts are supported between said needles and said guide plate is carried by each post, and a further support and guide for the fabric in the region of the fell carried by the posts between the guide plates.

14. In a weaving loom with stationary weft supplies, in combination, a frame, two weft laying needles each with an eye in its leading end for passage theret'nrough of a weft thread from a stationary weft supply, the said needles serving to carry respective weft threads through sheds of warps alternately from opposite sides of the path of the latter, crank arms constituting carriers in which the said weft laying needles are mounted, turnable spindles to which the said crank arms are secured, reciprocatory slides serving to support the spindles, fixed guide bars for the slides, bases which are secured upon the aforesaid frame and serve to support the guide bars, separate cams for moving the slides back and forth along the guides alternately, a common rotary cam shaft to which the said cams are secured, operative connections between the cams and the slides, a pilot in association with each needle for guiding the same, the said pilot, which is located in a plane spaced from that in which the needle operates, being in the form of a fulcrumed rod mounted to swing about an axis coincident both with the appropriate edge of the fabric and the inner side of the said needle, further crank arms which are secured to the aforementioned spindles and slidably engaged with the needle-guiding pilots and, associated with each guide bar, stationary cam means for turning the revelant pilot so that the needle guided thereby is diverted transversely into a shed of warps during an advancing movement of the corresponding reciprocatory slide, for the purpose herein described.

15. In a weaving loom with stationary weft supplies, weaving mechanism including, in combination, two weft laying needles each with an eye in its leading end for passage therethrough of a weft thread from a stationary supply, the said needles serving to carry respective weft threads through sheds of warps alternately from opposite sides of the path of the latter, movable carriers in which the said weft laying needles are mounted, cam means for moving and guiding the said carriers and intermediate connections between the cam means and the carriers whereby each needle in turn is first partially advanced longitudinally alongside the path of the warps to enter a loop of one weft thread previously formed and laid at the adjacent edge of the fabric by the other weft laying needle, next turned within the loop about an axis coincident both with the adjacent edge of the fabric and the inner side of the partially advanced needle and then diverted and fully advanced transversely through a shed of the warps suchwise as to insert therein a pick of the other weft thread, and, in association with each needle, a slotted guide plate through which the needle is caused to pass whenever it is di- 5 verted transversely into a shed of warps, the said plate being adapted by reason of its engagement with the needle to prevent the latter from fouling the companion needle.

16. Weaving mechanism according to claim 15, wherein each slotted guide plate has provided thereon a lug adapted to engage a loop of weft thread laid at the appropriate edge of the fabric by a diverted needle and so maintain this loop in a proper position for certain penetration by the other needle.

GEORGE HAZELTO-N.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,180,831 Libby NOV. 21, 1939 2,229,011 Clutson Jan. 14, 1941 2,532,087 Clutson Nov. 28, 1950 

